Ortho Metaphor
by eelahnie
Summary: "I think it will make us stronger. You know, like a bone. You have to break it in order for it to heal properly." An accident is the catalyst Callie and Arizona need to fix their broken relationship.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey guys, so here is a new Calzona fic to tide us over during the hiatus from hell. In the first episode of the season Arizona wanted to use an ortho metaphor on her wife. That might not have been the brightest idea and thank goodness Alex stopped her from doing it. But what if that metaphor became a reality? Callie took care of Arizona for a year and now it's time for Arizona to return the favor. **

**Copious amounts of thank yous to MaybeIShouldGetACat for all her help with this. You're awesome!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's, Dora, Swiper, Boots, or the Dolphins. You know, in case you were wondering.**

**Enjoy!**

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Arizona stood outside the painfully familiar yet foreign apartment door, Sofia hoisted up on her right hip and a bag of food over her left shoulder. It had been a long day filled with grueling surgeries but it was the blonde's night with her raven-haired little girl and that thought was the only thing that had gotten her through the day. Then around 4pm, April had informed her that Callie had taken a fall avoiding a speeding car and fractured her left ankle. She'd been patched up and sent home with pain meds and a bad attitude. Which was relatively commonplace these days. Still, the thought of Callie at home alone and in pain didn't sit well with the blonde, so she'd decided to spend her night with Sofia at the apartment…with Callie.

Raising her left fist, she paused for a moment and took a deep breath before knocking. "Callie, its Arizona…I'm just going to…" She sighed as she let herself into the apartment, a miserable looking Callie on the couch in the living room with her foot propped up on the coffee table. She met the brunette's burning gaze for a moment before studiously avoiding it. Walking over to the island in the kitchen, she placed the food on the counter and then secured Sofia in her high chair. After dishing out a plate of pasta and bringing it to Callie along with some pain meds and a cup of water, Arizona fixed a plate for herself and Sofia and then settled in at the table.

"Why are you here?" came Callie's voice from behind Arizona, her food completely untouched.

"Because I thought Sofia would make you feel better and I wanted to make sure you were eating. Callie you need to eat. You'll feel better."

"I don't need your help, you can leave," Callie snapped back.

"Just let me help you. Like you said…you took care of me for a year." Arizona didn't like to look back on the time following her amputation. She had been unnecessarily cruel to her wife. But instead of dwelling on her past actions, she got up and wiped Sofia's mouth, the little girl making a mess of her dinner. She sighed before turning back to her wife. Ex-wife? Wife. "Do you want Sofia?"

She braced herself for the coming response, gritting her teeth when Callie shot back at her. "Of course I want Sofia, what kind of question is that?"

She decided not to mention that it was in fact her own night with their daughter but that she was willing to let Callie take her for the night. She swallowed and nodded before continuing, "Let me just get her bathed and in her pajamas then."

"Whatever," Callie dismissed her. Arizona unfastened the straps of Sofia's high chair, lifting her out of it and carrying her into the bathroom. She shut the door, effectively separating them from Callie's poisonous attitude. For the next fifteen minutes, it would just be her and her little girl. She engaged Sofia in conversation as the tub quickly filled before removing her messy clothes and lifting her into the water.

Handing Sofia her little rubber penguin, Arizona watched her dip the toy under the water and play with the bubbles as she stroked her hair. "I know. We were going to watch Dora tonight Sof, but your Mama needs you right now. I know you'll be good for her." She smiled as Sofia let out a giggle and splashed her hands and feet, sending a few bubbles floating into the air.

From her perch on the couch, Callie sneered to herself. Of course Arizona got to enjoy bath time with Sofia while she was stuck in the living room like an invalid. As Arizona carried Sofia into her room wrapped in a towel, the corners of Callie's mouth twitched up at the squeal her daughter let out as the cold air hit her skin. The hint of a good mood was quickly squashed, however, as she thought about how the three of them used to share moments like these. By the time Arizona returned to the living room with their daughter, Callie was in full-on horror show mode.

Sitting Sofia next to her wife, Arizona carefully took a step away from the couch – and in essence, away from Callie – before righting the few items Callie's leg had knocked off the coffee table. She then refilled Callie's glass of water and placed her phone on the arm of the couch as Sofia chattered away animatedly.

Picking up her bag, Arizona ran a hand tiredly through her golden locks and let her eyes sweep over the apartment one last time before allowing her gaze to fall back on Callie. "Uhm... Just call if you need anything." She then leaned over the side of the couch and dropped a kiss onto Sofia's smiling face. "Bye, Little Miss. Be good for Mama. I love you so much." Arizona cleared her throat in an attempt to hide the crack in her voice as she continued. "Bye, Callie." Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out the door.

Callie glared at the door as she watched it swing shut. Never before had the sight of a door closing pissed her off so much, but she beat her emotions down and hid them away as Sofia bounced into her lap. With a cheesy grin, she planted a sloppy kiss on Callie's nose and then settled in for a snuggle. Callie couldn't help but return her daughter's grin as she wrapped her in a tight hug and hummed to her softly.

"I love you, Sofster," she purred softly into Sofia's hair before releasing her and reaching for the remote.

As soon as the television screen lit up, Sofia jumped up off the couch with a cheer. "Dora!" She yelled, as she watched Boots chase Swiper through the woods. "Yes, Dora," Callie answered with a laugh. They watched attentively as Dora instructed them on how to move logs and sing to trees in Spanish before Sofia started to nod off.

When Sofia's faint snores reverberated around the living room, Callie shifted her from her sprawled out position on the couch and into her arms. Bracing herself against the arm of the couch with her right hand, she tried to lift herself into a standing position but her botched ankle and her daughter's extra weight made it difficult to rise to her feet. Still, after much effort and some minor jostling of Sofia, Callie managed to right herself. After grabbing one of her crutches from where they were propped against the back of the couch and placing it under her right arm, Callie slowly made her way to her little girl's room.

Only with patience and perseverance did she then manage to get Sofia into bed. The raven-haired beauty was a wild sleeper and thrashed around during her mother's attempts to lay her down and tuck her in. Sofia tossed and turned atop her lilac sheets, whimpering while in the throes of a dream, but soft murmurs from Callie soon calmed her enough that she settled into her pillows and began to snore again.

With sweat on her brow, Callie stood up and turned, prepared to make her way to her own bed after a long day. It was not until the last minute that she realized, working with her new limited mobility, that she had overstepped and slammed her crutch into Sofia's bureau, the loud _clang_ echoing throughout the spacious room.

Callie cringed but did not move, silently hoping that Sofia had somehow slept through the noise. Her shoulders slumped in relief just as a high pitch wail rang through the air and she turned back around to see Sofia upright in bed, angry tears streaming down her red and heated face.

Shuffling over, Callie perched on the edge of Sofia's bed and lifted the little girl into her lap, rocking her gently. But Sofia would have none of it. "Mommy!" She screamed as she fought against Callie's hold on her.

"Shh, Sof, its okay baby girl. Go back to sleep."

"I want Mommy," she continued to cry, growing more agitated by the minute.

"Sof, Mommy is at work right now. Mama needs you to try and get some rest," Callie placated, desperately trying to reign in the irritation in her voice. Sofia continued to squirm in her lap so Callie set her back down on the bed and went about standing up again. Sofia climbed down from her bed and followed Callie into her room, still crying profusely. She scampered up onto the bed and curled into a ball on Arizona's side, burying her face in her mother's pillow as Callie sat on the other side and looked on in annoyance.

"Where's Mommy! I want Mommy!"

"Sofia. Mommy is busy and I need you to stop screaming."

Callie grit her teeth against the slow sting that began to build in her broken ankle as she rubbed soothing circles on her daughter's back. She was usually able to calm Sofia down, but as her earlier bad mood reared its ugly head once more, Callie found herself more and more unwilling to put up with Sofia's screams. However, she refused to make use of her other option and so decided to try something different.

Pulling off her battered Miami Dolphins t-shirt and chucking it over the side of the bed, she wrestled with Sofia for a moment before finally managing to lift her onto her chest. Callie removed Sofia's tear-stained pajama shirt and leaned back in her bed, Sofia's face resting against her chest. She silently prayed that the warmth of her skin and the beating of her heart would be enough to cajole her wailing daughter and for a while, it seemed to work. As she quieted gradually, Sofia clung to her mother and settled in, her breathing slowing until it evened out and soft snores emanated from her once more. She shifted on top of Callie after a few moments and grasped the fabric of Callie's tank top in her hand, balling it up in her fist. Callie sighed and sank further back into the plush pillows on her bed; she was exhausted. Her eyelids grew heavy and soon Callie found herself instinctively fighting off sleep. She wanted to put Sofia back in her own bed but didn't want to risk moving her just yet for fear that she might wake up again screaming. So she laid there as Sofia fidgeted every now and then, her eyelids closing more often than she would have liked.

"Mommy," she heard Sofia mumble in her sleep and Callie held her breath, waiting for some type of reaction. When none came, she exhaled and rubbed Sofia's back, her eyes sliding closed.

"Mommy!" Sofia screamed as Callie startled awake, nearly toppling Sofia from her chest. As she began to cry again, Callie winced at the throbbing pain behind her eyes.

"Sof Sof its-" Callie huffed as she cut herself off.

Sofia couldn't hear her. She wanted Arizona and that's all there was to it. Callie didn't want to call Arizona. She didn't want to look at Arizona or hear her voice. But what she did want was sleep and she couldn't accomplish that with Sofia crying in her ear. So tucking her feelings away and bracing herself against her daughter's shrieks, Callie lifted her phone from the bedside table and dialed.

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As she waited patiently for the _ding_ of the elevator to sound, Arizona was anxious and a bit tense. Callie had called her less than twenty minutes ago and her voice had been drowned out by Sofia crying. She could barely hear Callie over the noise but got the gist of the call and hung up. After closing a few files on her desk, Arizona had exited her office and left the hospital, hurrying across the street to comfort her little girl. Sofia usually had no problems sleeping through the night but every once in a while, she would wake up crying for one of them. Lately, it was Arizona that she always wanted.

Once the elevator doors opened, Arizona made her way down the hall to 502. She almost walked right in but hesitated at the threshold. She could hear Sofia's screams through the door but she heard nothing from Callie. Knocking once, she let herself in and called out.

"Callie, it's me."

She doubted Callie had heard her. She could barely hear herself over the din coming from the bedroom. Placing her laptop bag on the couch, Arizona made her way into the bedroom as quickly as her tired limbs would carry her. She didn't make it five feet into the room before Sofia propelled herself from the edge of the bed and into her waiting arms. Arizona scooped her up and held her tight, Sofia's arms and legs wrapping securely around her. She shot Callie an apologetic look before carrying Sofia into her own bedroom.

Sitting down on the toddler's bed, Arizona leaned back with Sofia on her chest, exactly the way Callie had a few hours earlier. Her daughter quieted immediately, curling into her and Arizona couldn't ignore the sheer satisfaction she felt at being able to calm her little girl so quickly and effectively. Sofia clutched at her mother's collarbone, undoubtedly searching for the pendant that usually hung there. Finding nothing, she instead grasped Arizona's finger and held on tight as her breathing slowed and her eyes drifted shut.

Within ten minutes of entering the apartment, Arizona was already settling Sofia into her bed and tucking her in. Murmuring to her softly, she placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead and then quietly exited the room, pride adding a bit of pep to her stride.

She found Callie back on the couch and wondered how she made it there without making a sound. She studied her for a moment and took in the bags under her eyes and the tension radiating from her body. Callie was wound tight, clearly frazzled from their daughter's outburst.

Approaching the couch, she inquired softly, "Do you need anything?"

Callie let her gaze fall on Arizona as her mind raced. She was tired and in pain, her nerves were shot, and she didn't want to deal with the whirlwind of emotions she felt when it came to Arizona. The brunette could feel her anger growing and clenched her jaw to keep from lashing out. Pushing herself up from the couch and grabbing her crutches, she barked, "I need pain meds and water. And I need you to make sure she doesn't wake back up because I can't get to her."

"Just go get comfortable in bed, ok?" she responded weakly, nodding. With her back to her, Callie propelled herself back into the room and perched on the bed. Arizona turned and grabbed Callie's medication and topped off her glass before heading into the bedroom they used to share.

Handing the pills and glass to Callie, Arizona waited patiently for her to take them before proceeding to arrange some pillows under her wife's ankle. The blonde knew from experience what was comfortable when it came to stretching out in bed with a broken limb.

"I'll take care of Sofia... Just try to get some rest. I'll just be…" After pausing for a moment, she pointed awkwardly to the living room and then retreated from the bedroom, leaving Callie to sleep or lie awake staring at the ceiling. She sank down onto the couch and sighed heavily before pulling some charts and her laptop from her bag. Fatigue settled over her but she stretched her spine and got to work, finding it relatively easy to ignore her body's need for sleep. She didn't sleep much anymore, or eat for that matter, changes that were not lost on her. All of the blonde's time and energy went to her patients and her little girl. They were all that mattered anymore. They were all she had left.

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**AN: First and foremost, I would like to point out that all roads lead to Calzona.**

**That being said, I know it seems that Callie is not being very nice at the moment, but if anyone's broken a bone, then you understand how miserable it is. And also how Callie must feel being dependent on a wife who broke her heart. Still, they both need to address their own issues and I think how they interact with each other is a good place to start.**

**Please let me know what you think! - E.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I know, I know. I haven't updated in forever. Sorry about that, but this chapter didn't want to get written. Thank you for the reviews, they're much appreciated! I take what you guys have to say seriously. To the guest reviewers who commented on my previous AN: I agree that cheating is not justifiable under any circumstances and the way I wrote my comment came out completely wrong. However, I've tweaked it to hopefully avoid further confusion.**

**Much gratitude to MaybeIShouldGetACat for putting up with my incessant whining about this chapter at odd hours of the day.**

**Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing from Grey's, I don't own anything.**

**Alright, picking up right where we left off. Enjoy!**

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Callie glared at the ceiling as Arizona exited the room they used to share. She grunted quietly as the pain in her ankle intensified and radiated up to her calf but she couldn't help noticing that despite the ache, she was actually pretty comfortable on the bed. Arizona had propped her leg up just right… The brunette quickly switched her train of thought; she didn't want to think about Arizona.

Instead, she let her eyes wander to the picture frame on the nightstand. It was a collage of pictures, most of which were of Sofia. In one, she and Sofia had taken a trip to the park and Callie had snapped a photo of her on the swing. Sofia was smiling mid-air, her eyes closed tight in glee. It was the first time she was on the swing by herself and she had loved it, giggling and screeching as the swing went higher and higher.

There was another of Sofia cradled in Mark's arms. She had on her "I heart my mommies" onesie and Mark was pressing a kiss into the downy soft hair on her head. As she studied the picture, she couldn't help but see Mark in her little girl's features. She missed him every single day and it hurt to remember that they would never see him again. As tears threatened, she squeezed her eyes shut before zeroing in on the next photo.

Callie loved all of Arizona's photos with Sofia but this one was probably her favorite. The blonde was seated in a rocking chair in their daughter's nursery, Sofia resting against her chest as she cooed to her. They were always so at peace around each other. She smiled as she remembered snapping the picture when Arizona wasn't looking. She was so wrapped up in her baby that nothing else mattered.

Her eyes wandered to the last photo in the collage and her smile faltered. It was one of the last pictures they had taken together, the day after Arizona told her they were pregnant. Callie had cooked dinner and then they cuddled on the couch, just enjoying the feel of each other.

_Callie rinsed their plates and then set them in the sink, drying her hands on a dish towel before making her way back into the living room. Seeing the goofy grin on her wife's face, she fell back onto the couch and pulled Arizona into her arms._

_"I'm so excited!" Arizona chirped as she allowed her body to settle against Callie's. "We're having another baby, can you believe it?"_

_"I-"_

_Arizona quickly, albeit unintentionally, cut her off. "Just imagine: ten tiny fingers and toes. And that baby smell!" _

_"Sofia smelled like heaven. Well when her diaper was clean. Is it weird that I used to sniff her?" _

_Arizona chuckled and turned her head slightly so that she could look up at Callie. "I used to sniff her all the time." At Callie's amused expression, she quickly continued. "She smelled so good, I couldn't help it! Whenever I held her I would hold one of her hands or feet to my nose and just...inhale. I can't wait to be able to do that again."_

_Before the brunette could respond, Arizona leaned forward and grabbed her phone from the coffee table. Holding it up, the screen flared to life as the camera's focus centered on them._

_"I want to remember this moment." Callie leaned in close and smiled as Arizona snapped the picture before quickly returning her phone to its place on the coffee table._

_As Arizona turned in her arms, Callie held her tighter and sighed, content. "I can't wait to be able to do that again either."_

_They relaxed and listened as raindrops pounded out a soothing pattern against the windows. After a few moments, Arizona tilted her head up and Callie, being completely in tune with her, leaned down and lightly brushed her lips against her wife's before breaking contact. The corners of Arizona's mouth turned up into a gentle smile as she leaned back in, pressing their lips together firmly. Callie's lips parted of their own accord and she sighed into Arizona's mouth as their tongues met. With Arizona cupping her cheek, the brunette threaded her fingers into Arizona's hair and held them tighter together, deepening their kiss. She felt her body respond as Arizona sucked her full bottom lip into her mouth and bit down. Callie hissed as they pressed their bodies together, the rise and fall of her chest meeting Arizona's breath for breath. As she settled between her legs, Callie's hand traveled down Arizona's back, resting firmly on the curve of her butt. After what felt simultaneously like eternity and the blink of an eye, Callie pulled back, inhaled, and gazed lovingly into her wife's eyes._

_"I love you, Calliope Torres." Arizona whispered as Callie eagerly captured her lips again._

Callie could hear her words as clearly as if Arizona had just uttered them.

Her brows furrowed and the ache in her ankle intensified as she recalled everything that happened after that. Flicking her eyes back up to the ceiling, she shut the door on that emotional rollercoaster and it was only then that she realized she needed to use the bathroom.

Bracing her arms against the mattress, the brunette pushed herself up into a sitting position and cringed when the movement tweaked her already protesting leg. She slowly swung her right leg over the edge and then her left, biting her lip in pain as her ankle held her weight while she reached for her crutches. Callie stood and maneuvered her crutches into position before finally lifting her foot off the ground. Taking a moment to compose herself, she clenched her groin muscles and began her trek to the bathroom.

Halfway there, and in her haste to make it in time, she overreached with her crutches and lost her footing. She hobbled and managed to catch herself but knocked her ankle and let out a yelp. Callie muffled a cry as pain shot up her leg and Arizona rushed through the door.

"What happened? Are you alright?" the blonde inquired, her face etched with a mix of worry and exhaustion.

"Do I look alright?" Callie snapped back.

Arizona swallowed before continuing. "Do you need something?"

"I need you to stop playing twenty questions and move out of the way, you're blocking the bathroom."

Callie stared at Arizona stonily as she waited for her to move, her jaw clenched in an effort to control her bladder. Once Arizona stepped from in front of the door, she continued into the bathroom but paused near the toilet.

"It helps if you lean them against the sink and use the bar to turn around and get situated." Arizona supplied, her voice sounding closer than a moment before.

Callie glared at the wall as her nostrils flared but the incessant pressure in her abdomen made her take the blonde's advice. Setting her crutches aside and using the sink as leverage, she made slow work of turning around and came face to face with Arizona, who guided her hand to the safety bar and then proceeded to pull her pants down.

"What the- Don't touch me!"

Taking a step back, Arizona regarded Callie with a small, sad smile.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you Callie."

"Yeah well karma's a bitch."

Callie watched as Arizona's smile vanished and her overwhelming exhaustion shown through. The flash of an emotion presented itself to her but she couldn't bring herself to care enough to examine what it was. The bathroom was crowded, too crowded for her liking and all she wanted was for Arizona to leave her alone. Hating the fact that they still seemed to be in tune, the brunette watched triumphantly as Arizona turned and left the bathroom, leaving her in peace to do her business. Callie knew Arizona wasn't far: she could hear her breathing on the other side of the door. But she was grateful for a moment to herself, however brief it might be.

Once her hands were washed, Callie grabber her crutches and left the bathroom. Just as she suspected, Arizona was right outside, waiting to help her get back in bed. Callie screamed mentally at the path life had decided to drag her down but let Arizona reposition her leg on the pillows. She willed her body to relax into the duvet as Arizona leaned forward and switched off her bedside lamp.

"I didn't ask you to turn out the light."

Even though she couldn't see her, Callie knew how Arizona would look. Body tensed. Jaw clenched. Movements somewhat rigid. Eyes pools of ice. But she couldn't care less. As the room lit up once again, Callie watched Arizona head for the door. Before she could cross the threshold, Callie's voice rang out.

"Arizona, bring Sofia here?"

"Yes, ma'am." Arizona grit her teeth and left the room, returning a few minutes later with a sound asleep Sofia in her arms. She tucked their daughter in next to Callie before straightening and continuing. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No." She stroked Sofia's hair and then looked up, their eyes locking. They stared at each other, Arizona's gaze void of all inflection, Callie's intense and filled with emotion. With a sneer, she answered again. "Actually, yes." Cocking her head to the side a bit, her voice was eerily calm as she asked, "Did you enjoy it?"

"No, I didn't."

"Don't give me that bull, Arizona, you enjoyed it. Didn't you."

Sofia began to fidget as waves off tension radiated off of Callie. Arizona perched on the edge of the bed and stroked her hair, willing her back to sleep. When she was sure their daughter was comfortable again, she reestablished eye contact with Callie. With a heavy sigh, she chose to allow herself to be completely vulnerable.

"She thought I was beautiful in spite of my-"

"Get out."

"Its no excuse but-"

"Get out. NOW."

"Callie you asked-"

"Arizona, get the hell out of here."

Resigned to her fate, Arizona sighed heavily, got up from the bed, and flicked off the light. Without glancing back, she strode from the room and shut the door.

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**AN: I know, a little shorter than last time but I didn't want you all to have to wait any longer. Thoughts? Predictions? Lets hear it. – E.**


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